• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.189-193
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• 2020

An MR-based attenuation correction (MRAC) map plays an important role in quantitative positron emission tomography (PET) image evaluation in PET/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems. However, the MRAC map is affected by the magnetic field inhomogeneity of MRIs. This study aims to evaluate the characteristics of MRAC maps of physical phantoms on PET/MRI images. Phantom measurements were performed using the Siemens Biograph mMR. The modular type physical phantoms that provide assembly versatility for phantom construction were scanned in a four-channel Body Matrix coil. The MRAC map was generated using the two-point Dixon-based segmentation method for whole-body imaging. The modular phantoms were scanned in compact and non-compact assembly configurations. In addition, the phantoms were scanned repeatedly to generate MRAC maps. The acquired MRAC maps show differently assigned values for void areas. An incorrect assignment of a void area was shown on a locally compact space between phantoms. The assigned MRAC values were distorted using a wide field-of-view (FOV). The MRAC values also differed after repeated scans. However, the erroneous MRAC values appeared outside of phantom, except for a large FOV. The MRAC map of the phantom was affected by phantom configuration and the number of scans. A quantitative study using a phantom in a PET/MRI system should be performed after evaluation of the MRAC map characteristics.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.87-92
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• 2015

Purpose When the patients takes myocardial perfusion SPECT using $^{201}Tl$, the operator gives the patients an injection of $^{201}Tl$. But the uniformity correction map in SPECT uses $^{99m}Tc$ uniformity correction map. Thus, we want to compare the image quality when it uses $^{99m}Tc$ uniformity correction map and when it uses $^{201}Tl$ uniformity correction map. Materials and Methods Phantom study is performed. We take the data by Asan medical center daily QC condition with flood phantom including $^{201}Tl$ 21.3 kBq/mL. After postprocessing with this data, we analyze CFOV integral uniformity(I.U) and differential uniformity(D.U). And we take the data with Jaszczak ECT Phantom by American college of radiology accreditation program instruction including $^{201}Tl$ 33.4 kBq/mL. After post processing with this data, we analyze spatial Resolution, Integral Uniformity(I.U), coefficient of variation(C.V) and Contrast with Interactive data language program. Results In the flood phantom test, when it uses $^{99m}Tc$ uniformity correction map, Flood I.U is 3.6% and D.U is 3.0%. When it uses $^{201}Tl$ uniformity correction map, Flood I.U is 3.8% and D.U is 2.1%. The flood I.U is worsen about 5%, but the D.U is improved about 30% inversely. In the Jaszczak ECT phantom test, when it uses $^{99m}Tc$ uniformity correction map, SPECT I.U, C.V and contrast is 13.99%, 4.89% and 0.69. When it uses $^{201}Tl$ uniformity correction map, SPECT I.U, C.V and contrast is 11.37%, 4.79% and 0.78. All of data are improved about 18%, 2%, 13% The spatial resolution was no significant changes. Conclusion In the flood phantom test, Flood I.U is worsen but Flood D.U is improved. Therefore, it's uncertain that an image quality is improved with flood phantom test. On the other hand, SPECT I.U, C.V, Contrast are improved about 18%, 2%, 13% in the Jaszczak ECT phantom test. This study has limitations that we can't take all variables into account and study with two phantoms. We need think about things that it has a good effect when doctors decipher the nuclear medicine image and it's possible to improve the image quality using the uniformity correction map of other radionuclides other than $^{99m}Tc$, $^{201}Tl$ when we make other nuclear medicine examinations.

• Communications of the Korean Mathematical Society
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.359-364
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• 2005

We give another characteristic feature of the set of phantom maps: After constructing an isomorphism between derived functors, we show that the set of homotopy classes of phantom maps could be restated as the extension product of subinverse towers induced by the given inverse towers.

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.1957-1962
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• 2003

In order to design the phantom of heart, we have developed the multi-dipole current source system. Such a one be clue to the various motion of heart. The magnetocardiograph (MCG) system for diagnosing the disease of the heart due to an analysis of the heart signal. The multidipole current source system be built by microprocessor. We use the shield room to obtain a good experimental result. Then the signal acquired is mixed with a background noise, through a filtering extracts a pure signal. The pure signal such a heart phantom is analyzed by an electromagnetic map.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.333-340
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• 2009

MR compatible coaxial-slot antenna for microwave hyperthermia was developed while its structure and size of each part were determined by computer simulation using finite element method(FEM). Its local heating performance was evaluated using tissue-mimic phantom and swine muscles. 2% agarose gel mixed with 6mM/$\ell$ $MnCl_2$ as a biological tissue-mimic phantom was heated by the proposed antenna driven by a 2.45GHz microwave generator. The temperature changes of the phantom were monitored using multi-channel digital thermometer at the distance of 0mm, 5mm, 10mm and 20mm from the tip center of the antenna. Also muscle tissue of swine was heated for 2 and 5minutes with 50W and 30W of microwave generator powers, respectively, to evaluate the local heating performance of the antenna. MRI compatibility was also verified by acquiring MR images and MR temperature map. MR signals were acquired from the agarose gel phantom using $T2^*$ GRE sequence with 1.5T clinical MRI scanner(Signa Echospeed, GE, Milwaukee, WI, U.S.A.) at Pusan Paik Hospital and were transferred to PC in order to reconstruct MR images and temperature map using proton resonance frequency(PRF) method and laboratory-developed phase unwrapping algorithm. Authors found that it has no severe distortion due to the antenna inserted into the phantom. Finally, we can conclude that the suggested coaxial-slot antenna has an excellent local heating performance for both of tissue-mimic phantom and swine muscle, and it is compatible to 1.5T MRI scanner.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.28-32
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• 2014

Purpose Patient motion during myocardial perfusion SPECT can produce images that show visual artifacts and perfusion defects. This artifacts and defects remain a significant source of unsatisfactory myocardial perfusion SPECT. Motion correction has been developed as a way to correct and detect the patient motion for reducing artifacts and defects, and each motion correction uses different algorithm. We corrected simulated motion patterns with several motion correction methods and compared those images. Materials and Methods Phantom study was performed. The anthropomorphic torso phantom was made with equal counts from patient's body and simulated defect was added in myocardium phantom for to observe the change in defect. Vertical motion was intentionally generated by moving phantom downward in a returning pattern and in a non-returning pattern throughout the acquisition. In addition, Lateral motion was generated by moving phantom upward in a returning pattern and in a non-returning pattern. The simulated motion patterns were detected and corrected similarly to no-motion pattern image and QPS score, after Motion Detection and Correction Method (MDC), stasis, Hopkins method were applied. Results In phantom study, Changes of perfusion defect were shown in the anterior wall by the simulated phantom motions, and inferior wall's defect was found in some situations. The changes derived from motion were corrected by motion correction methods, but Hopkins and Stasis method showed visual artifact, and this visual artifact did not affect to perfusion score. Conclusion It was confirmed that motion correction method is possible to reduce the motion artifact and artifactual perfusion defect, through the apply on the phantom tests. Motion Detection and Correction Method (MDC) performed better than other method with polar map image and perfusion score result.

• Journal of KIISE:Software and Applications
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.612-624
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• 2005

In this paper, we propose a surface-based registration using a gaussian weighted distance map for PET-CT brain image fusion. Our method is composed of three main steps: the extraction of feature points, the generation of gaussian weighted distance map, and the measure of similarities based on weight. First, we segment head using the inverse region growing and remove noise segmented with head using region growing-based labeling in PET and CT images, respectively. And then, we extract the feature points of the head using sharpening filter. Second, a gaussian weighted distance map is generated from the feature points in CT images. Thus it leads feature points to robustly converge on the optimal location in a large geometrical displacement. Third, weight-based cross-correlation searches for the optimal location using a gaussian weighted distance map of CT images corresponding to the feature points extracted from PET images. In our experiment, we generate software phantom dataset for evaluating accuracy and robustness of our method, and use clinical dataset for computation time and visual inspection. The accuracy test is performed by evaluating root-mean-square-error using arbitrary transformed software phantom dataset. The robustness test is evaluated whether weight-based cross-correlation achieves maximum at optimal location in software phantom dataset with a large geometrical displacement and noise. Experimental results showed that our method gives more accuracy and robust convergence than the conventional surface-based registration.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.10-14
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• 2013

Purpose: Due to developed simultaneous PET/MRI, it has become possible to obtain more anatomical image information better than conventional PET/CT. By the way, in the PET/CT, the linear absorption coefficient is measured by X-ray directly. However in case of PET/MRI, the value is not measured from MRI images directly, but is calculated by dividing as 4 segmentation ${\mu}-map$. Therefore, in this paper, we will evaluate the SUV's difference of attenuation correction PET images from PET/MRI and PET/CT. Materials and Methods: Biograph mCT40 (Siemens, Germany), Biograph mMR were used as a PET/CT, PET/MRI scanner. For a phantom study, we used a solid type $^{68}Ge$ source, and a liquid type $^{18}F$ uniformity phantom. By using VIBE-DIXON sequence of PET/MRI, human anatomical structure was divided into air-lung-fat-soft tissue for attenuation correction coefficient. In case of PET/CT, the hounsfield unit of CT was used. By setting the ROI at five places of each PET phantom images that is corrected attenuation, the maximum SUV was measured, evaluated %diff about PET/CT vs. PET/MRI. In clinical study, the 18 patients who underwent simultaneous PET/CT and PET/MRI was selected and set the ROI at background, lung, liver, brain, muscle, fat, bone from the each attenuation correction PET images, and then evaluated, compared by measuring the maximum SUV. Results: For solid $^{68}Ge$ source, SUV from PET/MRI is measured lower 88.55% compared to PET/CT. In case of liquid $^{18}F$ uniform phantom, SUV of PET/MRI as compared to PET/CT is measured low 70.17%. If the clinical study, the background SUV of PET/MRI is same with PET/CT's and the one of lung was higher 2.51%. However, it is measured lower about 32.50, 40.35, 23.92, 13.92, 5.00% at liver, brain, muscle, fat, femoral head. Conclusion: In the case of a CT image, because there is a linear relationship between 511 keV ${\gamma}-ray$ and linear absorption coefficient of X-ray, it is possible to correct directly the attenuation of 511 keV ${\gamma}-ray$ by creating a ${\mu}$map from the CT image. However, in the case of the MRI, because the MRI signal has no relationship at all with linear absorption coefficient of ${\gamma}-ray$, the anatomical structure of the human body is divided into four segmentations to correct the attenuation of ${\gamma}-rays$. Even a number of protons in a bone is too low to make MRI signal and to localize segmentation of ${\mu}-map$. Therefore, to develope a proper sequence for measuring more accurate attenuation coefficient is indeed necessary in the future PET/MRI.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.141-149
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• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to develop a simple method to measure magnetic susceptibility of arbitrarily shaped materials through MR imaging and numerical modeling. Materials and Methods: Our 3D printed phantom consists of a lower compartment filled with a gel (gel part) and an upper compartment for placing a susceptibility object (object part). The $B_0$ maps of the gel with and without the object were reconstructed from phase images obtained in a 3T MRI scanner. Then, their difference was compared with a numerically modeled $B_0$ map based on the geometry of the object, obtained by a separate MRI scan of the object possibly immersed in an MR-visible liquid. The susceptibility of the object was determined by a least-squares fit. Results: A total of 18 solid and liquid samples were tested, with measured susceptibility values in the range of -12.6 to 28.28 ppm. To confirm accuracy of the method, independently obtained reference values were compared with measured susceptibility when possible. The comparison revealed that our method can determine susceptibility within approximately 5%, likely limited by the object shape modeling error. Conclusion: The proposed gel-phantom-based susceptibility measurement may be used to effectively measure magnetic susceptibility of MR-compatible samples with an arbitrary shape, and can enable development of various MR engineering parts as well as test biological tissue specimens.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.443-450
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• 2018

The Geant 4 simulated the linear accelerator (VARIAN CLINAC) based on the previously implemented BEAMnrC data, using the head structure of the linear accelerator. In the 10 MV photon flux, Geant4 was compared with the measured value of the percentage of the deep dose and the lateral dose of the water phantom. In order to apply the dose calculation to the body part, the actual patient's lung area was scanned at 5 mm intervals. Geant4 dose distributions were obtained by irradiating 10 MV photons at the irradiation field ($5{\times}5cm^2$) and SAD 100 cm of the water phantom. This result is difficult to measure the dose absorbed in the actual lung of the patient so the doses by the treatment planning system were compared. The deep dose curve measured by water phantom and the deep dose curve calculated by Geant4 were well within ${\pm}3%$ of most depths except the build-up area. However, at the 5 cm and 20 cm sites, 2.95% and 2.87% were somewhat higher in the calculation of the dose using Geant4. These two points were confirmed by the geometry file of Genat4, and it was found that the dose was increased because thoracic spine and sternum were located. In cone beam CT, the dose distribution error of the lungs was similar within 3%. Therefore, if the contour map of the dose can be directly expressed in the DICOM file when calculating the dose using Geant4, the clinical application of Geant4 will be used variously.